Sunday, June 10, 2012

End of School and Ford Field and JDRF

A lot of the time, I am completely excited to create experiences for the girls that also co-mingle with type 1 diabetes.

"Kids first, diabetes second" blends into everyone doing the exact same thing of checking blood sugar, playing around and seeing cool stuff.

It is nice for all of us to see that and to be with our kind of peeps! It is like walking into Naturally Sweet Sisters Land.... (Total digression but wouldn't this be a fantastic board game??? We could have kids travel through blood sugar testing mountains, candy carb swamps, sinister site changes and end up owning Naturally Sweet Sisters Land! If you borrow that idea, be sure to send me a donation check to honor NSS for JDRF!)

Saturday was event that promised that very same co-mingling at Ford Field. It involved our JDRF Walk to Cure Type 1 Diabetes as a kick-off to fundraising celebration.

The trouble was that the event was scheduled for the very day after our marathon (notice almost no posting on Naturally Sweet Sisters????) last week of school.

The kids had already romped and stomped their way through two field days, one field trip to our Natural History Museum, two year book signing parties, one classroom winning pizza party for good deeds and a couple of ice cream socials.

All of that partying led to a Friday night exhaustion meltdown.

Um, yes, that would be from ME.

I was tired. And yes, the girls were tired too. How could they not be?

When Saturday rolled around, our very first day of summer vacation, we had to wake up at 7:00 a.m. to be on the road to arrive in a timely manner.

Let me just say, it was hard. Really hard. None of us wanted to wake up and drive an hour and party some more. Even at Ford Field. With games. And our peeps.

I think the conversation sounded like this...

(alarm sounds) Beep! Beep! Beep! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

My husband says, "I think YOU have to get up."

I roll over and pretend otherwise. "Mmmmumph."

He repeats again, "YOU really need to get moving."

And all I can muster is another "Mmmmumph." In my mind, I am quietly devising ways to stay longer in bed and force my husband to take the kids so I can sleep longer.

This is where you know you have been married for a long time because somehow he was able to read my thoughts and rolled out of bed, taking all of the covers with him. This forces my hand because who wants to stay in a cold bed?

As you all know, having a week of heavy fun with lots of pizza and ice cream means extra blood sugar checks day and NIGHT. Feeling a little tired as the rest of the world does during the day means that my (our) nights are even less restful than normal.

This is defined as exhaustion. The kind that you aren't sure if can quite recover from. Even for one more fun day.

Somehow, you do. I still haven't figured that part out. When I think back to my life prior to children, I remember skipping all sorts of things for a few extra zzzzzz's.

This must be defined as maturity. Stupid maturity.

Eventually ALL of us woke up and even made it in time to enjoy the fun from beginning to end.

Which was great because I met not one, but two brand-new families and hugged about a 100 more that I already knew.

In that moment, not only where my batteries re-charged but I also noticed that my darling daughters and husband felt the same way.

After all, these are our kind of peeps. The kind that barely blink an eye when the blood sugar meter beeps out a 326 for youngest daughter and a 372 for oldest daughter because they just stuffed themselves with complimentary event rolls and muffins.

Instead, they also check, find the same issue and we together, correction bolus and move on for more fun.

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About The Author

I am a wife, mother and full- time acting pancreas for two beautiful little girls. I enjoy antique and thrift shopping, decorating, staying connected with friends and learning all there is to know about Type 1 Diabetes.

Website Disclaimer

Please note that I am not a doctor and I do not have medical training. I do not have Type 1 Diabetes nor does my husband. I am a mother to two daughters who have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

The purpose of this site is to help families dealing with Type 1 Diabetes to have a place to come together to share stories about Type 1 Diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is challenging both physically and emotionally and a little support goes a long way. Naturally Sweet Sisters offers me, as a parent, a way to connect with other families living with Type 1 Diabetes and an outlet through which to share my own experiences. The information provided on Naturally Sweet Sisters is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her health professional.